The invention relates to a system for ordering video cassette program material and to a terminal from which such program material can be ordered.
As home videocassette players become more popular, a need has arisen to provide prerecorded video cassettes for home viewing. Such videocassettes can be purchased at selected stores. However, the cost of videocassettes is high and maintaining an inventory of videocassettes by a store can be expensive. It would be more desirable to be able to process orders for videocassettes at a processing location which is connected to a number of ordering terminals from which customers can place orders for selected videocassette program material. Due to the high cost of videocassettes, it would also be desirable to provide a system whereby videocassette program material can be rented for a predetermined period of time rather than purchased outright.
It is an object of this invention to provide such system by which a customer can select videocassette program material at a terminal which is conveniently located for customer use and which is remote from a processing location. The order is processed at the processing location and the videocassette program material provided to the customer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a terminal from which videocassette program material is vended directly to the customer which is coupled to a processing location from which customer billing is provided.